WHY DO POLITICIANS VISIT WAR ZONES?

WHY DO POLITICIANS VISIT WAR ZONES?

This year both Canadian and American troops have been rewarded with a very special treat. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the Canadian peace keeping troops in Mali, West Africa, and President Trump visited an American military base in Iraq. All I can really ask is “Why?” Was it to boost sagging morale of the troops, display the courage of the politicians in visiting active war zones or was it merely a political ploy to orchestrate a photo op for the folks back home? If you chose option A or B you were wrong. 

Recently, Trudeau popped in unannounced to the Canadian base in Mali to visit and share a turkey dinner with our peace keeping forces. When I try to place myself in the shoes of a soldier in the camp, I find it very hard to get overly excited by the fact that my Prime Minister took time out of his busy schedule to drop in to say hello. What a nice guy! I hope I can get his autograph. Then as sneakily as he showed up, in a matter of hours, Trudeau flew back home. Mission accomplished - complete with numerous videos and photos of him serving a turkey dinner and studying a table covered in strategic (?) maps. 

US President Trump one upped Trudeau by actually arriving on Boxing Day in Iraq. Under the cover of darkness, surrounded by fighter planes and a security detail, Trump dropped in out of the sky for a meaningful three hour photo op and a chance to repeat and repeat his appreciation for the good work that was going on in Iraq. Much of the time was devoted to a Trump speech and endless selfie opportunities for troops to have a picture taken with the president. To again one up Trudeau, Trump also dragged his poor wife, Melania, along to add some colour (a bright yellow jacket) to the proceedings. I am sure that she was delighted to travel the 14,000 mile return trip over two days to smile and look attractive. 

Without a doubt a visit to an active military venue by a national politician for a couple of hours, is the dream of every service man. I am sure that morale was at an all time high after the visit, although a few service men were heard remarking, “He should have come on a night mission with us to get a real taste of a combat zone.” That would have made his visit worth while. 

Presidents and Prime Ministers are also very motivated to visit the sites of local disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and wild fires. Just as I fail to see that service men are really enamoured with a politician’s visits, I also suspect locals who have lost their homes to hurricanes or floods, really find the handshake of a President or Prime Minister very comforting and soothing. I believe that these political leaders do sympathize with victims of disaster but milling about in the debris of a house burned in a wild fire, really does nothing to solve the problem. And I don’t think the first hand eye witnessing of a disaster site is any more meaningful than what I personally see on TV. A disaster is a disaster!

Mr Trudeau and Mr Trump, I would request that you tend to the business that you have been elected to handle, not traipse around the world to trouble spots, be they national or international. Deal with your obligations to govern and lead. Justin you have an oil pipeline problem that needs more than passing attention and Donald, perhaps it is time to start up the US government, that has been shut down because of inept leadership. Stay home and do your job, and leave the military to focus on their business! They don’t need either one of you on site!